Shaq cleared to play; Diaw comes alive
November 17th, 2008, 3:34 pm · Post a Comment · posted by jerrybrown
Shaquille O’Neal’s flagrant foul against Detroit’s Rodney Stuckey Sunday night won’t cost him a suspension and is likely going to be reduced to a level 1 foul. That’s too late to save him from an ejection, but it will save O’Neal a little in the wallet – which was already $35,000 light after his role in the Houston skirmish last week.
So the Suns will have the entire starting lineup intact, should coach Terry Porter stick with Matt Barnes over Grant Hill at small forward. Even though the Suns like having Hill as an extra ball handler with the second unit, he’s been much more effective as a starter, the role he is most familiar with.
Other leftovers from the Suns’ best win of the season Sunday against the Pistons:
*If you didn’t recognize the one man who was able to talk O’Neal into finally leaving the floor after his ejection, that’s “Uncle Jerome.” Jerome Crawford has serves as Shaq’s personal security man for more than a decade and you’ll see him in just about every public photo of O’Neal. While teammates and coach Terry Porter weren’t getting through to an enraged O’Neal after the call was finalized, Crawford found the magic words to get Shaq moving in the right direction. He’s a good-natured and affable guy, but good luck getting any information out of Crawford, who could probably write a hell of a book on his time alongside The Diesel.
*Those around the Suns are just as amazed as everyone with the way O’Neal has played to this point in the season. The athletic moves and speed that many thought were gone for good and were nowhere to be seen last season has made a comeback, and the Suns are making use of the mismatch. Teams that have become used to not doubling O’Neal are paying the price – now the trick is to make the opponents who do pay as well. Phoenix isn’t there yet, but Sunday was a good step in that direction.
*Who was that big guy lowering his shoulder on the way to the basket and hitting a 3-pointer last night? Boris Diaw really helped the Suns get through when they were short-staffed over the weekend, playing 35 minutes and showing he can be effective at the small forward as well if need. The Suns staff sees Diaw as the key to putting the Suns over the top because of his versatility and matchup problems he presents. And if Diaw attacks the baskets instead of settling for the soft hooks inside of five feet, he is a weapon to be reckoned with.
*Porter has been an impressive bench coach in his first 11 games. The Suns are much better at in-game adjustments, taking advantage of matchups and utilizing a zone defense this season – and those counter-punches have paid dividends in several games. Under Mike D’Antoni, the Suns often overwhelmed teams with their talent and system but once things started sliding the wrong way, they rarely reversed. Porter’s team is more regimented, not as much fun to watch, but is very effective.
*After only 11 games, is “Sideshow Rob” dead? O’Neal let it slip last night that the Suns have gone to calling Lopez “Bird,” likely because hair looks like a suitable home for, well, robins. Lopez was a DNP at Sacramento and likely would have been again if not for Shaq’s takedown Sunday. But he made the most of his opportunity with nine points, four rebounds and a steal in 14 minutes – keeping the momentum alive in the second quarter with a nice stint after O’Neal departed. An added bonus: He didn’t miss any dunks.
*Sean Singletary must be thanking Steve Nash for getting suspended. He finally got out of mothballs in Sacramento and did enough good things to get another seven minutes in the first half against the Pistons. The team remains committed to Goran Dragic, but with fouls and turnovers still a problem, Singletary might get more chances to show what he can do.
